Birtles: Dexter can be Forest's Kevin Davies
WHEN I watch football these days, I become ever more convinced of one thing.
Heading is fast becoming a lost art. I am serious.
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Dexter Blackstock
There is nobody of the calibre of Alan Shearer still playing.
Top level front-men tend to be more about finesse than brute force; more guile than guts.
There are a few exceptions.
Didier Drogba is as strong as anyone in the Premiership and, when he is not rolling around on the floor pretending to be hurt, he is actually quite an imposing player.
And Kevin Davies, the Bolton striker, is as close to an old fashioned striker as you can get.
He is a proper target man, a strong, physical figure that opposition defenders hate.
And, for the same reason, I like Dexter Blackstock at Forest.
He has been a big loss while he has been injured, the Reds have missed his physical power, as much as his goal scoring exploits.
Don't misunderstand, there is more to Blackstock's game than just being a big lump. He is a good all round striker.
He puts his head in where it hurts, he is not afraid of a physical battle and he can play a bit as well.
But, more to the point, he is an outstanding header of the ball.
He can provide flick-ons or hold the ball up and he provides an outlet. Without lavishing him with too much praise, he is the man who has made them tick so far this season.
And I hope he returns today.
3 Comments
by Red thru n thru, By the Trent
Sunday, November 22 2009, 8:28PM
“Birtles' views of football are so dated they're embarrassing. Blackstock is a decent Championship player - nothing more nothing less. The modern game has changed Garry anfd England hasnt changed with it. It's exactly the reason why we wont win the 2010 World Cup. World class strikers aren't battering rams anymore as Garry seems to think. Messi, Torres et al don't fit that bill but they are world class. We don't have a player who would get into a world eleven. Rooney rather than Torres - no way. Gerrard rather than Iniesta - no way. Get with the times Garry. This is not the 70's long ball game. World football has changed but not in England sadly which is why we are no hopers internationally.”
by Andy, Heanor
Sunday, November 22 2009, 8:13PM
“As usual Birtles in stuck in the past and one of the very reasons why the England national team has no realistic hope of winning a major tournament including the forthcoming world cup. Strikers are a different breed now. The big bustling striker is a thing of the past in world football but not in the 'years behind English game'. Torres and Messi are hardly Shearer like but are the best in the world at forward play. Skilful clever players but not battering rams. Get with the times Garry”
by Tupton Red, Chesterfield
Sunday, November 22 2009, 5:54PM
“I remember we could have bought Kevin Davies after he and his team-mates had destroyed us in the FA Cup in the year they got to the Semi Final. He has been an asset to football and Dexie will do well if he follows his examples. One thing in our favour is that we have Dexter Blackstock, pity we didn't get Kevin Davies.”